My Sis-In-Law’s elderly cousin, who had a modest collection of guns, died alone in another state - one in the northeast with very tight gun control. He left everything to her and she knew he had some nice guns - a .44 revolver, a 1911, etc. When he died she got a call from a local police dept. detective who informed her of the death, gave her a list of the guns they were going to take into custody and told her what she would have to do to take possession. She had to get permits in her home state for each pistol, etc.
When she got all the paperwork completed and traveled to the other state to clear up the estate and take possession of the guns there was nothing but three of the least expensive guns in police custody. The valuable ones had disappeared - and there was no paperwork to show they had ever been taken into custody.
The detective told her that the original list he read to her was only the state record showing what weapons permits were issued to her deceased cousin. He said he had no knowledge of what was actually found on the premises.
She spoke with the police sergeant who investigated the death and he told her he only found the three guns they had in custody and had no knowledge of any other guns.
The cousin was old when he died, had not traveled out of state for years and had kept all the permits up to date. Of course, it was illegal to sell the guns to anyone else in the state until they had a permit for that specific gun so there would have been a paper trail for any in-state sale as well.
He had never reported any of the guns as lost or stolen.
There were no records to show the missing guns were ever sold or transferred.
He never canceled any of the permits which was required if he sold the guns.
So who has the guns?
The local police have the guns of course. There isn’t much question is there?
This is one major reason why I will make sure that I distribute most of my collection of "stuff" to suitable recipients at the point where I am too old to appreciate the stuff.
The banditos with the badges.